Sixband Angelfish

Like other species in the genus, juvenile and adult sixbar angelfish are quite different in appearance. juveniles have an overall blue-black color broken by many vertical white bands, the anterior bands being rather straight while the posterior bands become increasingly arced as they approach the tail. The adults, in contrast, have an overall color of brownish-yellow on the body and the median fins, with vivid blue spots. Along the flanks there are 6 vertical bands, the first being whitish and placed immediately behind the head and the rest being black.

The sixbar angelfish is found from Sri Lanka through the Malay Archipelago to the Solomon Islands longitudinally, and from the Ryukyu Islands and Palau and to New Caledonia and Australia latitudinally. In Australia, its range extends from Shark Bay in Western Australia along the northern coast to the Capricorn and Bunker Group off Queensland. It is also found around the Rowley Shoals and Scott Reef of Western Australia, and Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea.

The sixbar angelfish is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade. Only the juveniles are suitable for home aquaria, as the adults are too large.